metaphorical

/ˌmetəˈfɒrɪkl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌmetəˈfɔːrɪkl/ (ame, ipa)

metaphorical — adjective

  • metaphoricalpositive
  • more metaphoricalcomparative
  • most metaphoricalsuperlative

1. used for words or writing that explain one thing by speaking of it as something

1.形容詞C1
釋義

used for words or writing that explain one thing by speaking of it as something else.

例句

The coach called the final lap a mountain, using metaphorical language.

collocation: metaphorical language

In her essay, Gita described fear as a locked room, not literal fact.

describe one thing as another

同義詞
  • figurative

    broader term for language that is not meant word for word

  • non-literal

    plain teaching term that stresses the meaning is not exact wording

  • symbolic

    often focuses on what an image stands for, not just comparison in language

反義詞
  • literal

    keeps the direct meaning of the words

文法句型

metaphorical + language / phrase / image

be metaphorical rather than literal

用法筆記

Most often used for language, literature, speeches, and songs. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense describes wording or imagery inside expression, not an unreal object or event used to represent a real situation.

常見錯誤

❌When the poem says time is a thief, the writer means a real criminal.
✅When the poem says time is a thief, the writer is using metaphorical language.
💡This sense marks a comparison in wording, not a literal event.

2. used for an imagined object, place, or action that is not real but helps show wh

2.形容詞C1
釋義

used for an imagined object, place, or action that is not real but helps show what a situation is truly like.

例句

After the argument, Emre said a metaphorical wall had grown between them.

metaphorical wall for emotional distance

At graduation, Heather crossed a metaphorical bridge into adult life.

metaphorical bridge for change

同義詞
  • symbolic

    close when the unreal image stands for a wider truth or feeling

  • figurative

    broader and often used of language; this sense is narrower and centers on the unreal image

  • emblematic

    more formal and often used for a sign that strongly represents something larger

反義詞
  • real

    describes something that actually exists rather than an imagined image

文法句型

metaphorical + wall / bridge / shadow

be a metaphorical sign of something

用法筆記

Usually follows a real problem, change, or relationship and adds an unreal image to explain it. Distinguish from sense 1: here metaphorical describes the imagined thing itself, not the wording of a sentence.

常見錯誤

❌Their metaphorical wall needs a hammer to break it.
✅Their metaphorical wall needs trust and honest talk to break it.
💡A metaphorical wall is an image for distance, not a real object.